Posts Tagged ‘North Dakota Expulsion from the Union’

It is possible Howard Dean will be Obama’s choice for Secretary of Health and Human Services now that Daschle is out (though he does not seem too eager to include Dean). I figured I would post a little something he just wrote on the subject. Dean on medical research

This piece is basically about a provision of the stimulus that Republicans were trying to kill. There have been many ravings about this provision taking decision-making power away from doctors and patients, which is just ridiculous.

One of the people claiming the provision takes power from doctors is famed crazy lady/Congresswoman Michele Bachmann (R-MN). I have written about her bat-poop crazy ravings before, and she is back at it. Here is a list of things she said in a recent interview with a conservative talk-show host in Minnesota:

* ACORN is “under federal indictment for voter fraud,” but the stimulus bill nevertheless gives ACORN “$5 billion.” (In reality, ACORN is not under federal indictment and isn’t mentioned in the stimulus bill at all.)

* many members of Congress have “a real aversion to capitalism.”

* the stimulus bill includes a measure to create a “rationing board” for health care, and after the bill becomes law, “your doctor will no longer be able to make your healthcare decisions with you.”

* the recovery package is part of a Democratic conspiracy to “direct” funding away from Republican districts, so Democratic districts can “suck up” all federal funds. Bachmann doesn’t think this will work because, as she put it, “We’re running out of rich people in this country.”

* the “Community-Organizer-in-Chief” is also orchestrating a conspiracy involving the Census Bureau, which the president will use to redraw congressional lines to keep Democrats in power for up to “40 years.” When the host said he was confused, noting that congressional district lines are drawn at the state level, Bachmann said Obama’s non-existent plan is an “anti-constitutional move.”

- Above information from themoderatevoice.com

Wow, huh? There was some commentary after her statements from Jazz Shaw at the moderate voice, and I’ll add a few things.

When will the Republican fetish with ACORN end? They keep claiming false things. It’s like the old Bush/Cheney/Rove strategy of repeating a lie ad nauseum until people believe it. There are still a large amount of people in this country who believe we found weapons of mass destruction in Iraq and that Iraq was involved in 9/11, for instance. Not only is what she said incorrect, but $5 billion?! This shows just how crazy and willing to believe anything she is. $5 billion? Wow.

Her saying members of Congress have a problem with capitalism smacks of her claims of unAmericanism in Congress and calls for investigations of said unAmericanism (see earlier link to bat-poop crazy ravings).

The third part is the part Dean was talking about (they were connected, see?). This is just false. If you read the Dean article, you will see the provision specifically states that government cannot make coverage decisions.

I don’t even understand the fourth claim. Is she flat-out implying that Republicans are rich and Democrats are poor? Also, the problem isn’t that we are running out of rich people, it’s that people in the middle are becoming poor and the poor are becoming really poor. We see where her sympathies are. Rich people have it so hard.

The fifth part is hilarious. She comes up with an insane conspiracy theory, and even the conservative host is confused. He calls her out on how what she says is impossible, and she claims Obama is going against the Constitution. Wow.

Good lord! This woman won re-election. The incumbent advantage is far greater than I ever imagined. Who votes for this woman? Why? I would rather vote for C. Montgomery Burns than Bachmann. I would rather vote for Saturday to become a part of the school/work week than Bachmann. I would rather vote for North Dakota’s expulsion from the Union and addition to Canada than Bachmann (wait, I’ve always been in favor of this, bad example.) You get the idea.

Minnesota gets a lot of grief for electing Jesse “The Body” and will probably get grief for electing Franken (though I believe he is a good candidate). They both seem like infinitely better choices than Bachmann.

On the bright side, she gives me something to write about after a long drought. I wonder what she’ll say next.

Enjoy the gradual improvement in the weather.

Adam Feser